KUALA LUMPUR, July 9 — The government has allocated RM950 million under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) for river conservation and emergency works arising from flooding nationwide, the Parliament was told today.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also energy transition and water transformation minister, said of that amount, RM410 million was allocated to conserve rivers to reduce the risk of flooding.
He said the remaining RM540 million is for the Irrigation and Drainage Department (JPS) to conduct emergency works to restore structures damaged by floods.
“However, the distribution of the allocation is based on the current needs of each state,” he said during an oral question and answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a question from Pengkalan Chepa MP Datuk Ahmad Marzuk Shaary, who wanted to know the allocation given to the JPS in each state to overcome the problem of flash floods due to improper drainage and irrigation system.
According to Fadillah, the management of the drainage system is managed by various parties, including the JPS, local councils, district offices, Public Works Department and developers.
Referring to the Street, Drainage and Building Act 1974, he said the responsibility to build and maintain drains is under the local government authorities, but the ministry will always work with the agencies involved in ensuring that the drainage system can function properly.
For standardisation purposes, he said the Cabinet in 1996 delineated the division of responsibilities between local council and the JPS, where all internal drainage systems, including artificial or municipal drainage, are under the local council’s jurisdiction, while natural drainage systems involving rivers and streams are under JPS.
Meanwhile, he said RM316.3 million had been allocated to the Sarawak JPS to reduce flood risk in 17 locations in Kuching, Betung, Mukah, Miri, Limbang and Samarahan.
"This project is in the procurement process and is still waiting to be finalised by the Finance Ministry. I hope that with this project, we will be able to reduce flooding in the affected areas,” he said.
He said this in response to a supplementary question from Miri MP Chiew Choon Man who wanted the government to approve allocations to Sabah and Sarawak to deal with flood problems in both states.
— Bernama
